Motor valve and positioner apparatus



March 4, R. M W|TT MOTOR VALVE AND POSITI ONER APPARATUS Filed April 22. 1947 www milf

TTO/QNE Y March 4, 1952 R. M. WITT MOTOR VALVE AND POSITIONER APPARATUS Filed April 22, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 www Mrch 4, 1952 R. M. WITT MOTOR VALVE AND POSITIONER APPARATUS Filed April 22, 1947 5 Sheets-Shea?I 3 JNVENTOR. ,Pfc/aard M. Wi

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1952 MOTOR VALVE AND POSITIONER APPARATUS `Richard M. Witt, Berkeley, Calif., assigner, by mesne assignments, to M & J Engineering Co., a partnership consisting of M. H. Grove and J. E. Grove, `both of Piedmont, Calif.

Application April 22, 1947, Serial No. 743,107

`3 Claims. `1 'This invention relates generally to apparatus of the motor valve type, and particularly to such apparatus incorporating a so-called valve positioner capable of insuring predetermined incremental movement :of the Valve `member respon- `sive to given control variations.

`Apparatus 'of the type described above `is disclosed for example in Patents Reissue 20,092 and 2.312.201. 'Generally the ,motor valve employed :is diaphragm or piston operated, and the controlling `pressure utilized is gener-ally pneumatic tand is varied by the equipment or instrument with which the apparatus is being used. A so- Vcalled valve positioner Vis ,arranged to be responsive to .the control pressure, and in turn serves to control application of air pressure to the oper- .ating chamber of the valve. The action of the `positioner is modified .by va direct ymechanical `'connection to the operating 4rod of `the valve,

whereby the positioning of the valve is caused to `be :in predetermined increments responsive to `,given variations in the controlling pressure. In :other words for -a given value of controlling pressure, the valve is caused to :mined position.

assume a predeter- Motor valve apparatus of `the above type such es has been available to the industry in the past `has been subject toa number of disadvantages. For example 4the .mechanical connection between the pneumatic positioner and the loperating rod :3.

of the valve is generally located between the diaphragm and the body of the valve, and the posi- ,tiener itself is carried by a bracket and is dis-V Vposed .adjacent one side of the rod. `-Such an arrangement exposes the positioner and its meu chanical connecting linkage to accidental injury, it tends to interfere with emergency manual operation, and it complicates making repairs of the valve seating surfaces and of the customary packing `gland of the Valve. mechanical connection involved generally utilizes Aa relatively complicated arrangement of links and levers, which cannot be adjusted as readily .and with `the same degree of practicability as the `invention tobe presently described.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the type described above which avoids use yof conventional types -of mechanical connections ,between the valve operating ,rod and the pneumatic controlling dev-ice.

In addition the A further object of the invention is to provide :apparatus of the -above type in which the pneumatic positioning device vis mounted upon the diaphragm casing,

A `fur-ther object of `the invention is to provide apparatus of the A'above character in which the pneumatic valve positioning device receives its modifying motion through hydraulic means, thereby avoiding the use of .objectionable levers and links.

`Another object fof the invention is :to 'provide valve apparatus which enables elimination of the customary loading spring for the main valve.

Additional objects ofthe invention will appear from the `following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig-ure 1 is :a side elevational view in section illustrating kmotor valve apparatus incorporating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational `view showing the hydraulic relief valve incorporated in the apparatus of Figure l.

Figure '3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is :an enlarged detail showing the parts mounted upon the diaphragm casing, and partly in section.

Figure 5 is an end view of the parts as illustrated in Figure 4 and with third portions in section.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional detail on an enlarged scale taken along `the line l-'I of Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1 the apparatus lshown therein includes amotor operated valve I0, which consists of a valve body II having passages I2 and I3 for connection with associated piping. A valve rod `I4 extends `into the vbody and carries a valve member I6 adapted to cooperate with a stationary seat Il. A suitable [packing gland I8 is `provided to prevent `leakage about stem I4. A yolk I9 is carried `by the valve body and serves to carry the tube orsleeve 2-I. This sleeve in turn serves to mount a diaphragm casing consisting of the two casing parts 22 and 23. A diaphragm 24 is mounted within this casing and has its Y present instance.

flexible peripheral edge portion clamped between the casing anges 25 and 2?.

The upper and lower plates 28 and 29 of the diaphragm assembly are clamped together by the stud 30, and thereby attached to the rod 3|. The exterior end of this rod is attached, as by threaded connection 32, to the adjacent end of the valve stem i4. That portion Bla of the rod nearest the diaphragm is of enlarged diameter and forms a hydraulic plunger that will be presently described. Sleeve 2| is sealed with respect to the rod 3| by suitable means such as the 0 rings33a and 33h. The bore 34 in which the plunger 3| is accommodated forms a hydraulic cylinder or chamber, which is in communication with a pipe 36 through duct 35.

The hub 3'! of the hand wheel 38 is internally threaded to engage the threads 39 formed on the sleeve 2|. The hub also carries a thrust bearing assembly 4| which engages adjacent ends of a plurality of thrust rods 42. These rods extend through the mounting flange 43 of the sleeve 2|, for engagement with the diaphragm plate 29. Leakage about these rods is prevented by suitable means such as theo rings d4. It will be evident that by turning the hand Wheel 38 rods 42 can be caused to move the diaphragm 24, thus manually moving the valve member i6 toward open position. In addition the hand wheel can be set for the purpose of limiting the movement of the valve member toward closed position.

vA closed space 46 is formed on one side of the diaphragm'gll which is adapted to receive uid under pressure. An additional space 41 is provided on the opposite side of the diaphragm, and this space is likewise adapted to receive fluid under pressure. As will be presently explained it is desirable to maintain a pressure in space 46 in order to provide a substantially constant loading force which urges the diaphragm and the stem of the valve in one direction, that is toward closed position in the particular assembly illustrated.

All of the apparatus described above has been y disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 620,771, led October 6, 1945. It should be understood that the more conventional types of motor valves can be used in conjunction with the present invention including valves provided with Aan'cperating diaphragm adapted to receive operating air under pressure, together with a compression spring for applying the desired loading forces, in place of pneumatic pressure as in the In a typical installation such as illustrated in Figure 1 my invention is utilized in conjunction with a pneumatic control instrument 5|. As illustrated diagrammatically such an instrument Ycan consist for example of a Bourdon tube l52 vwhich is connected to receive varying fluid pressure from line 53. This line may lead to a process or piece of equipment which is to be directly or indirectly controlled by operation of my apparatus. The Bourdon tube is shown operating a flapper valve 54, the valve orifice 55 of which is connected to the pneumatic line 58. This line in turn connects through the restricted oriiice 51 with a source of air pressure represented by line 58.V

Another source of air supply is indicated by line 59, and is shown being reduced to a desired constant pressure by the pressure reducing regulator 6|. Line |52 represents the low pressure side of regulator 6|.

Mounted upon the casing 23 there is an aS- sembly 64 which incorporates what is commonly vided with an opening $8 whereby an operating plunger 69 to be presently described can extend into abuttingenga-gement with the adjacent end of the stud 30.

Body section 56a also has a portion 1| which is bored as illustrated and which is tted with a resilient diaphragm 12. One side of this diaphragm is adapted to contact and seal upon a stationary valve seat 13, carried by the removable plug 14. A diaphragm plate 16 engages the other side of the diaphragm, and seats one end of the compression spring 1l. By adjusting the plug 18 the compression of spring 'Vl can be adjusted. The port 19 through the plug 14 is vented to the atmosphere. The space 8| immediately surrounding the seat 'I3 is in communication with an air supply pipe 82, by way of ducts 82a, 82h, The parts just described provideV a small adjustable back pressure regulator, by means of which a desired substantially constant loading pressure can be maintained in chamber 46. As will be presently explained pipe 82 has restricted communication with a source of air under pressure, whereby a small amount of air is continuously supplied to the chamber 46, with continuous controlled venting to the atmosphere through the pressure relief valve.

Body section 68a forms a :duid chamber 83 adapted to contain a suitable liquid, such as oil, glycerin, glycol or the like. As shown in Figure 6 the member 69 is in the form of a cylindrical plunger slidably Viitted within a sleeve 84 which in turn has threaded sealed engagement with the body part 69a. Suitable means such as a resilient 0 ring 85 prevents leakage between the plunger 69 and the sleeve 94, and the sleeve in turn is sealed with respect to the body by the O ring 81. The upper end of plunger 69 is provided with an enlarged flange or head 88, which seats the lower end of a compression spring 85. The upper end of this spring is seated upon a sleeve 39 which has threaded and sealed engagement with the body section 66a. A plug 9| is threaded within sleeve 89, and the lower or inner end of this plug is formed to provide a plunger 92 which is sealed with respect to the sleeve '89 by resilient 0 ring 93. Plug 9| can be adjusted for the purpose of adjusting the volumetric capacity of the space 83. In addition the plug can be removed in entirety for the purpose of introducing oil or like liquid.

The body sections 66h and 36e serve to mount a number of parts as follows: Body part 65h is provided with a central opening 96 which accommodates the Sylphon tube or like bellows 91. That end of the bellows which extends into chamber 83 is closed by plate 98, Vand the other end is mountedV upon annulus 99, which in turn is attached to and sealed with respect to body 66h.

Within the body section 86h there are two Sylphons or like metal `bellows lill and |32. Corresponding ends of these bellows are attached to and Sealed t0 the inner face |03 of the body section 66h, and the other ends are attached to and sealed with respect to an end plate |64. The space surrounding Sylphon |6| is vented to the atmosphere through port |65 (Figure 6). The body section also carries a shell |66 which surrounds the bellows Ii, and which is provided with an inturned ange |61 serving to form a limiting stop for the plate |64.

The central portion of plate |64 also carries a stud |68 which is provided with a port |69 for free communication through the same. A compression spring has one end of the same seated upon the stud |68, and its other end seated upon the end plate S3 of Sylphon 61.

Body section 66e is provided with a bore ||2 to accommodate the valve members ||3a and ||3b. Compression spring ||4 urges these valve members in one direction, and the force exerted by the spring can be varied by adjusting the threaded plug ||6. The valve stem ||1 extends from the valve members |3a and ll3b, and is adapted to abut the adjacent end face of the stud |68. Valve members ||3a, ||3b cooperate with the stationary seats 15a, |5b.

Body section 66d is provided with an air supply passage I|9 (Figures 6 and 7) which is in communication with the oriiice of seat ||5b by way of ducts |2I, space |22 and duct |23. When both the valve members |3|a and l |31) are in partially open position there is further communication through valve seat |5a with space |24 Within the `Sylphon |02, and space |26 within the Sylphon 91.

Body section 66d (Figure 6) is also provided with a passage |21 which is in communication by Way of ducts |28 and |29 with the space ||2 between the valve seats ||5a and ||5b. Body section 66d is provided with another passage |32 (Figure 5) which in turn is in communication with the space |34 between the Sylphons |0| and |02 by way of duct |33. The air supply passage ||9 in the body section 66d is also in communication with pipe 82 by Way of the restricted Orifice |36.

Mounted upon the body section 66d are the pressure gauges |38, |39 and |4|. Gauge |38 communicates with passage i6 an-d therefore indicates the pressure of the air being supplied. Gauge |39 communciates with passage |21, and :thus indicates the pressure in space ||2 between the `valve members ||3a and |I3b. Gauge I4I communicates with passage |32 and therefore indicates the value of the applied instrument pressure. Pipe 56a connects with the passage |32 and corresponds to the line 56 of Figure 1. Pipe 62a connects with the passage I9 (through device |43) and corresponds to the line 62 of Figure 1. A pipe |42 connects passage |21 with the chamber 41 below the diaphragm (Figure 1).

Before explaining the mode of operation of the assembly 64 reference will be made to the iluid operated shut-oir valve |43 which is incorporated in line 62a. Referring to Figures 2 and 3 this device consists of a body |44 provided `with passages |46, |41. Passage |46 connects with pipe 62u, and the other passage |41 connects directly to the passage i I9 of body section 66d (Figure 5).

Within the valve body there is a stationary valve seat |49 cooperating with the movable valve member 5| The valve member is car- 'ried by a stem |52 which extends slidably through the guide member |53. A piston |54 is attached to the stem |52 and `operates within the cylinder sleeve |56. Compression spring |51 r urges the piston |54 toward the right as viewed in Figure 2, or in other words it urges the valve member |5| toward its'seat. One side of the valve seat |49 is connected by space |56 and duct |59 with a liquid supply reservoir |61. The other side ofthe seat is in free communication with the passage |48 and pipe 36. A small by-pass valve |62 is shown connected between space |58 and passage |48, and can be operated manually. The air space |63 on one side of the piston |54 is in free communication by Way of duct |64, with the passages |46 and |41 and the piping con nested to the same. It is therefore evident that as long as operating line pressure is applied to passages |46, |41, the Valve Vmember |5| is held in open position against the force of spring |51. However when this supply of pressure fails, spring |51 forces the valve member to closed position. Pipe 36 connects with passage |48, and as previously explained this pipe leads to the hydraulic chamber 3,4 of the diaphragm motor valve (Figure l).

Operation of the complete apparatus described above can be explained as follows: Assuming a typical installation the housing of ythe motor valve is connected with associated piping for controlling the flo-vv of a gas or liquid. The instrument pressure applied by Way of line 53 is arranged to vary in accordance with the variations in some industrial process or operation with which the apparatus is being used. Forl example the pressure may vary in accordance with the temperature of a furnace or oven. Depending upon variations in pressure applied to line 53, the ilapper valve 54 assumes a corresponding position to produce a controlled amount of venting from its orifice 55. This in turn serves to determine the pressure in line 56, whereby such pressure is applied to 'the valve positioner of the assembly 64. It will be noted in this connection that the Bourdon tube arrangement 5| acts in eiect as a pneumatic booster, to produce ,amplied pressure variations in response to variations applied by way of line 53. In `some instances Such a booster arrangement can be omitted, .and the controlling pressure variations applied directly to the valve positioner by `way `of line 156. `For a given pressure applied by way of line 56 a pneumatic pressure is applied to chamber 4l below the diaphragm, such as will serve to maintain this diaphragm and valve member i6 in a given position. To maintain a given position it will be evident that the pressure in space 41 must be capable of balancing the constant loading pressure in chamber 46, plus any additional force applied to the valve member I6 by the line uid being handled. For a `given positioning of the diaphragm the plunger 6.9 also takes the given position, and .since the space 63 of the body section 66a is completely filled with liquid, Sylphon 91 is held compressed a given corresponding amount whereby `compression spring lil applies a given amount of force to the plate |64 of the assembly `including Sylphons |6| and |62.

For a balanced condition as previously mentioned valve members ||3a and `|l3b of the valve positioner both assume a partially open position, with the result that air supplied ata substantially constant pressure by way of line 62 (Figures 1 and '1) passes through duct |2|, `space |22, duct |23, Vand through the valve seat |1519. Controlled venting of this .air occurs `tl'irough the valve seat lHilo, .to maintain a `pressure in space |2 which is .applied te `the space .41 `below the diaphragm .through pipe |42. Assuming `now that the pres sure applied through line 53 is increased by a given amount, a corresponding increase in pressure occurs in pipe 56, and this pressure is transmitted through passage |32, duct |33, to the space |34 between Sylphons and |92. As a result the end plate |04 is moved to the right a slight amount whereby some opening movement of valve member ||3b occurs, whereas valve member |3a moves toward its stationary seat. Opening of thevalve member ||3b permits on increased amount of air to flow into the space ||2, while closing movement of valve member ||3a decreases the rate with which gas is being vented from space ||2 to the atmosphere. Therefore a substantial increase in pressure occurs in space ||2, and this pressure increase is transmitted through ducts |29, |28 passage |21, and pipe |42, to the space 41 below the main diaphragm. As a result of application of increased pressure to space 4l the diaphragm is displaced to move the main valve I6 towards its full open position. Plunger 69 moves in unison with the main diaphragm, and. by virtue of the displacement of oil which occurs in space 83 (Figure 6) Sylphon 9'! is compressed an increased amount whereby the force applied by pressure spring is increased. Shortly after the increased pressure has been applied through instrument line 53, the valve positionerwill come to a new position of equilibrium, in which the forces applied to the end plate |04 will be balanced, and in which the valve members ||3a and ||3b will occupy positions to maintain a pressure in space |2 which will sufce to maintain a corresponding pressure in space 4'1 below the main diaphragm to maintain this diaphragm in the new position.

It will be evident from the foregoing that when the instrument pressure falls a given amount, the action upon the valve positioner is such that the pressure in space 41 below the diaphragm is caused to fall whereby the diaphragm and the main valve assume a new corresponding position. Here again a condition of equilibrium is established whereby the new position of the valve member corresponds to the new instrument pressure.

During normal operation as described above the back pressure reducing regulator functionsV to maintain a substantially constant loading pressure in the space 46 above the diaphragm. As previously explained vthis loading pressure takes the place of a relatively heavy loading spring such as is used on conventional types of vdiaphragm motor valves.

in the event there is a failure of the air supply,

the device illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 functions torlock the main valve in the position which it occupied at the time of failure. Normally the air pressure supplied by pipe 62 retains the piston |513 to the left as viewed in Figure 2, with the valve member |5| open. Thus oil or like liquid within the chamber 3 4 of the motor valve is free to surge through the line 3B into the reservcir l, when the main Valve is being moved between its limiting positions. When there is a failure of air supply piston |54 is free to move to the right as viewed in Figure 2, and as a result valve |5| is closed upon its seat to prevent further flowV of oil through line 36. The oil is thereby trapped in chamber 34, so that the valve rod 3| is hydraulically locked in the position which it occupied at the time the valve |5| moved to closed position. If after valve |5| has moved to closed position, it is desired to effect manual movement of the main valve from the position in which Iit is locked, needle valve |62 is opened manually to permit the liquid to bypass valve member |5|. After needle valve |62 has been opened it is possible for the operator to manually operate the main valve by turning the hand wheel 38. Likewise if desired this hand wheel can be set during normal operation of the apparatus for the purpose of limiting movement of the main valve towards closed position.

My apparatus is relatively ilexible in that it can be adjusted to operate over a wide variety of positions. For example the plunger 92 can be adjusted by turning the plug 9|, whereby the amount of compression of the Sylphon 91 fora given positioning of the plunger 69 can be Varied. This serves in effect to change the location of the main valve for a given value of instrument pressure. Another adjustment can be hadV by removingV the sleeve 84 together with plunger 69, and applying another assembly utilizing a plunger of different cross-sectional fluid area. Such changes enable adjustment of the Yapparatus to adopt the same to different ranges of instrument pressure.

The hydraulic means utilized for transmitting motion from the main valve to the pneumatic valve positioner is relatively accurate .compared to mechanical devices which have been used in the past. For all positions of the main valve a given incremental movement will result in a cor responding incremental movement of the Sylphon 9?. Generally this is not the case with mechanical motion applying mechanisms where the angularity of links or levers for extreme positions of the main valve, serves to introduce errors.

Mounting of the assembly 64 upon the diaphragm casing is a distinct advantage over prior apparatus, particularly in that the space between the diaphragh casing and the body of the main valve is left free to facilitate manual operation, and to avoid accidental injury to the positioner and its associated motion applying means. When located upon the top of the casing in the manner described the entire assembly 64 can be readily removed for repair or replacement.

I claim:

l. In equipment of the character described, a fluid pressure operated diaphragm movable in opposite directions, a main valve comprising a valve body and a valve member, means forming a connection between the valve member and the diaphragm, a casing serving to mount the diaphragm Vand forming a chamber on one side of the same adapted to receive fluid under pressure to eiect the positioning of the diaphragm, and means serving to control application of air pressure to Asaid chamber to effect predetermined incremental positioning of said diaphragm in'response to given values of controlling pressure, said means comprising a pneumatic valve device of the supply and Waste type serving to control application of air to said chamber, a spring serving to apply forces to said device, a metal bellows serving to apply force to said spring, a body forming a closed liquid chamber which encloses the exterior of said metal bellows, said body being mounted upon said casing, a plunger slidably carried by the body and extendingl into said liquid chamber, whereby upon movement of the plunger liquid is displaced in said chamber to effect corresponding movements of the bellows and compression of said spring, said plunger having its exterior end extending into Vmotion transmitting engagement with said diaphragm.

2. Equipment as in claim 1 together with manually adjustable means for varying the volume of the liquid chamber.

3. Equipment as in claim 1 in which a sleeve surrounds the plunger and is removably carried by the body, whereby the plunger and the sleeve can be removed from the body Vas a unitary assembly to enable application of plungers o1' different cross-sectional areas.

RICHARD M. WI'IT.

REFERENCES CITED Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Kempson Dec. 31, 1941 Kalin Oct. 27, 1942 Meredith Dec. l, 1942 Cunningham July 18, 1944 Rockwell Mar. .20, 1045 Temple Mar. 27, 1945 Moore Aug. 14, 1945 

